be at his heels.

As he drew near the excitement among the strangers

seemed very great, and, from the peculiarity of the

various cries that reached him, he knew that there were

women and children in the band--a fact which, in such

a place and at such a season, was so unnatural that it

surprised him very much. He noted also that, though

the men in front were Indians, their dresses were those

of trappers and hunters, and he almost leaped out of his

saddle when he observed that "